Punch has favored the world with the following song, sung before her Britannic Majesty by a Chinese lady. It looks rather difficult at first; but if the reader studies it attentively, he will see how easy it is to read Chinese:— Ohc ometo th ete asho pwit hme, Andb uya po undo f thebe st, ’Twillpr oveam ostex cellentt ea, Itsq ua lit yal lwi lla tte st. ’Tiso nlyf oursh illi ngs apo und, Soc omet othet eama rtan dtry, Nob etterc anel sewh erebefou nd, Ort hata nyoth er needb uy. DEATH AND LIFE. cur f w d dis and p A sed iend rought eath ease ain. bles fr b br and ag THE REBUS. Ben Jonson, in his play _The Alchemist_, takes an opportunity of ridiculing the Rebus, among the other follies of his day which he so trenchantly satirizes. When Abel Drugger, the simple tobacconist, applies to the impostor Subtle to invent for him a sign-board that will magically attract customers to his shop, the cheat says to his confederate, in presence of their admiring dupe,— I will have his name Formed in some mystic character, whose radii, Striking the senses of the passers-by, Shall, by a virtual influence, breed affections That may result upon the party owns it. As thus: He first shall have a _bell_—that’s _Abel_; And by it standing one whose name is _Dee_, In a _rug_ gown; there’s _D_ and _rug_—that’s _Drug_; And right anenst him a dog snarling _er_— There’s _Drugger_. §Abel Drugger§, that’s his sign, And here’s now mystery and hieroglyphic. A motto of the Bacon family in Somersetshire has an ingenious rebus,— §ProBa-conScientia§; the capitals, thus placed, giving it the double reading, Proba conscientia, and Pro Bacon Scientia. WHAT IS IT? A Headless man had a letter to write; ’Twas read by one who lost his Sight; The Dumb repeated it word for word, And he was Deaf who listened and heard. THE BOOK OF RIDDLES. The Book of Riddles alluded to by Shakspeare in the Merry Wives of Windsor (Act I. sc. I) is mentioned by Laneham, 1575, and in the English Courtier, 1586; but the earliest edition of this popular collection now preserved is dated 1629. It is entitled The _Booke of Merry Riddles, together with proper Questions and witty Proverbs to make pleasant pastime; no less usefull then behovefull for any young man or child, to know if he be quick-witted or no_. The following extract from this very rare work will be found interesting.